


Highways I Call Home

by ResidentHesitant



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), My Chemical Romance
Genre: Backstory, Ficlet Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slice of Life, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-02-20 02:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 1,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13137288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ResidentHesitant/pseuds/ResidentHesitant
Summary: I figured it would be best to put a collection up of the Danger Days oneshots that aren't long enough to get posted on their own, so here they are! Tags will be updated accordingly -- some will be cute, some will be sad, some will be in between.





	1. First Rain

“It’s gonna start coming down any minute,” Jet calls, standing on the steps of the diner. Dark cloud blanket the sky, the hot desert sun muted -- temporary respite.

“You ready?” Kobra’s got the Girl braced on one hip, and she nods in response, a metal bucket clutched in her tiny hands. Ghoul drags out the last rain barrel from their back storage, looking up at the sky almost worriedly. It was going to rain. It had to. Ghoul worried often that this kind of thing wouldn't work; he's worrying about it now. He was never this worried before they took in the Girl.

But there’s nothing to worry about.

The rain falls in sheets, cool and refreshing. It fills the barrels and buckets with water, and the Girl laughs as the droplets hit her face. She drops her bucket in delight and wriggles out of Kobra’s arms to run around, laughing and smiling. Rain. Rain, rain, rain. Water from the sky, clean, fresh, not acid like the city tells its citizens in order to keep them in.

Poison walks out when they hear laughter -- not just the Girl’s, but Jet’s and Kobra’s and Ghoul’s too. They watch as the rest of their crew runs around, chased by the little bundle of energy they all consider a baby sister. She’s five now, almost six, learning to read with the few books kept in the diner and keeping them all on their toes. Poison leans against the doorframe and smiles; it’s nice to have a quiet moment.

Thunder rumbles distantly; everybody’s cue to go back inside. The barrels fill with rainwater, and Kobra and the Girl watch lightning strike in the distance from one of the windows, hoping that tomorrow, they’ll be able to go out and find one of the glass sculptures made from the molten desert sand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed, i really appreciate the feedback!  
> catch me on tumblr @probablypartypoison, im taking requests for this collection! <3


	2. Total Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kobra teaches the Girl how to shoot.

“You got this. Close one eye if it helps you to see better,” Kobra says, crouched down at her level.

The empty soda can sits twenty feet away, bright green perched on top of two stacked crates. 

“Just focus. Relax.”

The Girl nods, relaxing her arm and taking a deep breath. They haven’t painted her gun yet, still shiny white and city-approved. She told Party she wants it to be purple. She closes her eyes for a moment, focusing all her energy on the soda can; she opens her eyes and it’s the only thing she can see. She pulls the trigger, the recoil minimal even for a seven year old. The soda can falls to the ground, a hole ripped clean through and smoking.

From the steps of the diner, a cheer. She turns to Kobra for approval; he’s smiling the widest she’s ever seen.

“Nice going, kid. Told you you’d be a natural."


	3. Hellfighter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ghoul loses control in a fight.

"This isn't my first fuckin' rodeo." 

Ghoul’s change in vocabulary was probably the least of Party’s concerns. The fact that he just vaulted over the hood of the Trans-Am towards a small squad of Draculoids without his gun is probably the biggest concern, actually. Party runs out after him, shooting down a Drac further away from the rest. Ghoul’s already in the middle of the commotion; he tackles one of the Dracs and starts punching, gloved fists making contact with a rubbery white face. 

When Party runs in, there are only two left standing. They shoot quickly, but Party shoots faster -- the Dracs fall heavily to the ground. Now it’s just the one Ghoul won’t let up on, blood coming from the mouth of the Drac’s mask. His knees are on its arms, its gun sitting a few feet away.

“Ghoul,” Party tries. No response. They reach out and grab his shoulder, preventing another punch. “Ghoul!”

“ _What?_ ” Ghoul snarls, turning to face them. Party’s never seen him this angry.

“Let up,” they say, “It’s dead already, just let up. You need to calm the fuck down.” Ghoul glares back at them, but stands. He quickly leans back down, snatching up the Draculoid’s gun and shooting it in the head.

“Needed to make sure,” he says, walking back to the Trans-Am. Party shakes their head and follows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> catch me on tumblr @probablypartypoison -- im taking requests for this collection!  
> kudos and comment if you enjoyed <3
> 
>  
> 
> ~~this one feels kind of stupid not gonna lie lmao~~


	4. Favorites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Girl's top five favorite killjoys.

“ _Five Favorite Killjoys,_ ” Jet reads, holding the wrinkled paper the Girl just handed him before she scurried back to the bar counter with Kobra. “Y’know, ranking us is totally unfair.” She sticks her tongue out at him and hops onto a barstool. Some names on the list are misspelled, but her handwriting is improving. He walks into the main area of the diner, leaning on the edge of the counter.

“Five?” Ghoul says, looking over from the booth where he and Party are playing cards, “There’s only four of us.”

“Cherri’s on here, too,” Jet says, silently reading the list over.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Well?” Party prompts, leaning across the table, “Are you gonna tell us what it says?”

“ _Five Favorite Killjoys,_ ” Jet reads out, holding the list at arm’s length, “At number one, Kobra Kid.”

“Nice,” Kobra says, high-fiving the Girl.

“Number two, Cherri Cola, and he isn’t even here to revel in the glory.”

“Laaaame,” Ghoul calls, “C’mon, keep reading.”

“Three: Party Poison.”

“Hell yeah,” Party says, sitting back down at the table.

“I’m fourth, apparently because fixing things is boring,” Jet says, “And Ghoul is last.”

Ghoul gets up from the booth and starts heading for the hallway door, grumbling something about rankings and how stupid they are.

“This is messed up,” he says, pointing at the Girl as he passes her, "I can’t believe Cherri is your second favorite and not me.”

“You’re on the top five, at least,” Kobra says.

Ghoul flips him off before the door closes behind him.


	5. Thief

Ghoul was probably never going to feel welcome in Tommy’s shop. Tommy visibly dislikes him, Cherri is friendly but still puts Ghoul off. At least they’re both friendly when he brings the Girl along.

“I thought I’d get married in the city,” Ghoul overhears one day, while contemplating what to buy. Tommy is talking into the back room, presumably to Cherri. “Y’know, meet a nice girl, have a couple kids.”

“Barely any kids in the Zones,” Cherri says.

“Unless you count the killjoys who don’t fit into their boots yet,” Tommy snorts. Cherri laughs in the back.

Ghoul feels a tug at his sleeve.

“Why’s there no kids in the Zones?” the Girl asks, wide brown eyes staring up at him.

Ghoul shrugs. “Not safe.”

“Wha‘bout me?”

“Most other kids,” Ghoul says, putting the last can in his basket, “Aren’t gonna save the world one day.” She giggles as she and Ghoul walk over to the counter. “And they don’t have four cool older siblings like us.” He places the basket in front of Tommy, who gives a displeased look. At four, the Girl isn’t quite tall enough to fully see over the counter, standing on her toes, hands just on the edge, peeking up over the top. Tommy’s glare softens a little. 

As Ghoul is digging in his pocket for carbons, Tommy brings a small basket of lollipops out from under the counter. The Girl gasps in wonder.

“Take your pick,” Tommy says, as Ghoul places the money on the counter. Ghoul reaches for a lollipop; Tommy swats his hand away. “Not you.” She takes an orange one.

Once they’re back in the Trans-Am, the Girl leans forward from the back seat. 

“Psst,” she whispers, “Gotta secret.”

“What?” Ghoul says, turning to look at her. From her pocket, she takes out another lollipop, a green one.

“Stole it for you,” she says proudly.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to our group.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the first time ive written tommy chow mein and in my head his voice sounded like grunkle stan rip


	6. Party Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party kicks the front diner door open with a sparkly red heel.
> 
> “What is _up_ , motherfuckers, I got a new dress and we are going _on the town!_ ”

Party kicks the front diner door open with a sparkly red heel.

“What is _up,_ motherfuckers, I got a new dress and we are going _on the town!_ ”

Ghoul and Jet both turn around at the bar, raising their eyebrows. Party is, in fact, wearing a new dress; black with gold, sleeveless, mesh over the shoulders, the skirt short but not too short.

“We are?” Kobra doesn’t look up from his power glove, screwing another screw back into place.

“Yes, we are.” Party marches into the diner, standing several inches taller in their heels. “Maybe not _you_ , baby brother, but I’m going out and I ain’t goin’ out alone.” They stride into the kitchen, go behind the counter, and lean on the bar between Jet and Ghoul. “Gentlemen?”

“Your heels don’t match the dress,” Jet says.

“Can’t you go with Show Pony?” Ghoul asks, raising his eyebrow, “We have, like, a kid to take care of. More guardians the better or something.”

“They’re busy tonight,” Party huffs, crossing their arms, “Roller derby.” No reaction from Jet or Ghoul; Party pouts a little. “There’s karaoke at Sonic Boom tonight and I look too good to not go out. It’ll be fun.”

Eventually, Ghoul sighs. “Fine. I’ll go change.”

He tries to ignore Party’s grin as he hops off the barstool, suppressing a smile of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [dress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d5/a4/4b/d5a44bdc9890fe55f9a34b7c2ab631f2.jpg)   
>  [shoes](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71nR18IFmpL._UL1500_.jpg)


	7. Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ghoul and party talk about names. (short scene from a wip that felt solid on its own. set early in party and ghoul's relationship.)

“It's unfair,” Party says eventually.

“What is?” So many things were unfair, so many crossed Ghoul’s mind.

“You know my city name now. And Kobra’s. And you've never mentioned yours.” That wasn't what Ghoul was expecting. “You can't unlearn our names, so we might as well know yours.”

“I didn't mean to learn your city names-”

“But you did. You might as well just fess up. New step in our friendship or whatever.” Party scoffs at themself, rolling their eyes.

Ghoul pauses, but caves. “Frank. That's the name I left with.”

“Is that it?”

“Yeah. Not short for anything. Just Frank.” Ghoul shrugs, not looking at Party. It's weird saying his own name again. It's barely his name anymore.

“Frank,” Party repeats. Ghoul shrugs again. “... My name was G. But you heard that.”

“Is that it?” Ghoul says, mirroring Party’s own words.

“It's all I felt like keeping.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what up im still alive. i might eventually post like..... the full fic? if i ever finish it and get the guts to post my angsty shit. yknow. the usual. comment and kudo! <3 seeya next time


	8. Mirrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Half of a crew pulls up to the diner, a little too familiar for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what up babes this was originally 750 words

A motorcycle pulling up outside the diner.

Three someones shuffling to the door. Multiple someones pounding at the door. A high voice, shouting.

“Help! Please, help us!”

They have a kid with them. Kobra’s eyes go wide.

* * *

Three killjoys. Two killjoys and a sand pup.

“Shut up, I’m almost eleven!”

She’s ten. Almost eleven.

* * *

One of them is hurt. They all have names. 

“Cherry Marlboro, Saint Mojave, Kid Kiss. Saint-- I dunno, we- we got separated from the rest of our crew. He got hurt, I think he took a blast to the chest.”

Kobra radios Dr. Death in the kitchen, finds the rest of the strangers’ crew; Doc patches them through.

“Hello? Is this Sister Starlight? Yes, Saint’s alive.”

Party listens in from the doorway - Jet and Ghoul take care of the strangers. 

Skin, shiny and pink under a burned away shirt. Nonfatal wounds. They need bandages, a clean shirt. All in the kitchen.

Ghoul goes to the door, stands close to Party.

“Where’s the kid?”

Murmuring. Low voices.

“Sleeping. Jet’s room.”

* * *

A school bus, pulling up outside the diner, spray painted, windows covered in mismatched curtains. A mobile greenhouse.

Kobra, going out to meet the someones, two someones.

“Sister Starlight, Garden Variety.”

Two brothers, someone from the desert, a newcomer. The newcomer’s little sister. Everyone’s little sister.

The motorcycle, rolled into the back of the bus. Jet, only accepting one bundle of fresh carrots.

“You were going to sell them, right? You don’t need to thank us like this.”

“I want to.”

* * *

The bus, pulling away and fading into the distance.

Ghoul, wandering around the diner, holding The Girl on his hip. The Girl, gnawing happily on a carrot.

She’s three. Almost four.

Party, keeping watch in a booth, staring at the horizon. Turning, glancing at Ghoul.

“That could have been us.”

“What?”

“They could have been us. You, me, Grace. Jet and Kobra in the Trans Am.”

Party, turning back, staring at the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, catch me on tumblr @probablypartypoison! i take requests if you got 'em! <3

**Author's Note:**

> leave kudos or comment if you enjoyed, i really appreciate the feedback!  
> catch me on tumblr @probablypartypoison, im taking requests for this collection! <3


End file.
